The soda industry has been working hard over the past few years to keep up with changing tastes of people today, and that need to constantly shift isn’t going anywhere in the near future. Wondering what those tastes look like for the upcoming year? Most marketing research seems to indicate the shift is toward fruit.

Follow the Leader

If you’re like most companies, you’re looking at what industry leaders do to signal real changes, and one industry leader is signaling the shift toward fruit flavors in a big way. Coca-Cola is introducing four new Diet Coke flavors for 2018. These include Feisty Cherry, Ginger Lime, Twisted Mango, and Zesty Blood Orange. While Coke has flirted with fruit flavors before, as in Cherry Coke in the ’80s and Diet Coke Lime in the early 2000s, never have they been quite as bold as this. The goal, of course, is to keep up with consumers who are looking for something a bit healthier, and since fruit flavored sparkling water choices like La Croix have been steadily gaining market share in recent years, this seems like a natural move.

Where Will You Go?

So, are fruit flavors right for your company in the upcoming days? It’s certainly work a closer look in R & D. Meanwhile, if you’re looking for the right equipment to help optimize your beverage production line, contact us today.